G'day all,
I just got back from a long planned trip from nth VIC to s-w WA. The trip
was primarily for birdwatching. Though the itinerary I had set for myself
made for a physically tiring trip, it was wonderfully satisfying. I was able
to spend 30 days away, mostly bush camping, sleeping in a swag under the
stars and using a tent when necessary to stop in a camping ground. I am
almost ashamed to say I did not visit Perth, and avoided "civilization" in
favour of the birds - and the wildflowers. The towns and the culture I will
try to catch up with another day.
Various people helped with suggestions and information on the trip that
augmented what I had gathered over some years now. Thanks to all who gave
advice, especially Tony Russell and Frank O'Connor.
The following was the circuitous route from Nth Vic into SA and around the
sw of WA. The highlighted towns/areas was where I sighted a new species -
Ceduna, Nullarbor, Cocklebiddy/Arubiddy Station, (via Ballandonia to)
Esperance, (via Jerramungup to) Sterling Range National Park, Cheyne Beach,
(look in at Waychinicup and Two People's Bay National Parks and via Albany
and Mt Barker to) Lake Muir, (down to Walpole & Nornalup & the Valley of
Giants onto Northcliffe to Pemberton & the Gloucester Tree to) Augusta/Cape
Leeuwin, Cape Naturaliste/Sugarloaf Rock, (via Busselton, Bunbury &
Narrogin to) Dryandra Woodland, (via Mandurah and Fremantle to) Rottnest
Island, (via Armadale to) Wungong Gorge & Dam, (across to the Broonton
Highway and via Westdale, Beverley and York to) Northam, (across to the
Northern Highway & via New Norcia, Moora across to the Brand Highway via
Geraldton to Denham/Monkey Mia & Shark Bay to), Carnarvon, (via Geraldton
to) Mt Magnet/Cue/ Nallan Station (via Sandstone Leinster, Kalgoorlie,
Norseman & look in at Newman Rock to) Nullarbor, Ceduna & home.
My species list for the trip was 264. I was privileged to see 23 new species
and 37 new subspecies or morphs. The new species and places of their
sightings were as follows. I saw my first Scarlet-chested Parrot north east
of Ceduna. On the trip over, after three days of walking and driving all
over the area, I only managed to see briefly, a lone female. On the way back
I stopped over late in the day, and within a few minutes next morning, was
able to view not only a female and juvenile but a gloriously coloured male.
They were feeding in a bush, and the light was perfect. The male spread his
wings and tail and turned this way and that as he fed - for half an hour I
was entranced. a view of one's dream.
Again, on the way over after three days north east of the Nullarbor Road
House, and just about walking my feet off, I only had two brief glimpses of
the alisteri subspecies of the Cinnamon Quail-thrush, the Nullarbor
Quail-thrush. Again, on the way back I had a brief overnight stop in the
same area. I not only saw about 14 individuals, but had magnificent views of
a male and female sitting and feeding, and moving around in the morning sun
under a bush, and a good view of a male on the road. I really enjoyed the
Nullarbor. I grew up in sw Qld and nw NSW where there are vast open
plainlands, so could identify with the far flung rolling country of the
Nullarbor and that great canopy of space above the vastness of the plain.
Here you can find the Sth Hairy-nosed Wombat and his ancient burrows dotting
the plain. Here too, on the near treeless plain, the Wedge-tail Eagle has
his eyrie in a lone Sandalwood where he surveys with a fierce eye that vast
domain. After an afternoon of some hours of searching on Arubiddy Station
I finally was very pleased to see that delightful subspecies of the
Bluebonnet, narethae, the Nullarbor Blue Bonnet. Since a boy I have had a
particular love for Blue Bonnets, and was glad to at last add this
subspecies to my sightings.
Near Esperance I saw my first Western endemics, with delightful views of a
male Western Spinebill, Little Wattlebird and a small flock of Long-billed
Black Cockatoos. In the Sterling Range National Park, at the "Retreat Park"
I was also able to add perfect and satisfying sightings of Short-billed
Black Cockatoos, Western Rosella (green back morph) Red-capped Parrot &
Western Thornbill. Here too I had great views of the rare Western subspecies
of the Crested Shrike-tit.
At Cheyne Beach, a very restful little sea-side fishing village, I did very
well picking up Red-winged Fairy-wren, White-breasted Robin and on one day,
a three or four minute view of a feeding and singing Western Bristlebird,
about a five minute observation of the Western Whipbird as it sat in the top
of a low bush and kindly turned this way and that as he called and sang his
song. Hearing the Noisy Scrub-bird calling from a thicket not far from the
Caravan Park where I was staying, I found he would not come out to me, so I
had to get down on my belly and quietly snake in on elbows and knees toward
him.(My jungle training in National Service during the Vietnam War era paid
off in more ways than one!) I lay quiet and there he was! He was looking at
me, then singing and feeding and moving all about me. He stayed around me
for about 5 minutes or more. It was a privileged sighting. One hears about
the birds and wildflowers of the sw of WA, and justly so. What one rarely
hears about are the ticks! Having a really bad run in with Scrub Typhus
caught from a tick birdwatching is sw QLD; I am very, very sensitive about
those critters. Only the love of a bird could make me endure lying in that
scrub and feeling as though thousands of wretched ticks were swarming onto
me. I saw the Noisy Scrub-bird also in a creek gully at Waychinicup, but
nothing like the views at Cheyne Beach.
At Lake Muir, as many others have found, there were good and easy sightings
of the southern "form" of the Western Corella. I picked up my first Common
Sandpiper at Cape Leeuwin (found them very common at Carnarvon),
I will not quickly forget the dream like view of Red-tailed Tropicbirds,
displaying and calling over Sugarloaf Rock. I had looked for the Red-eared
Firetail all along the way, but without success. It proved the most
difficult for me to find. At Fremantle and Rottnest Island I was able to add
Laughing Turtle-Dove & Brindled Tern to my life list. My last opportunity to
see the Red-eared Firetail Finch was at Wungong Gorge & Dam. I searched
unsuccessfully all one afternoon in the car park and adjoing areas where it
is often seen; I was back there first thing next morning after bush camping
up the road. After several hours of no success, I decided to go along the
advertised Wungong Trial. For about 3-4 kilometres I walked, alert and
searching for them. Finally, patience paid off, and I had good views of a
pair about the 4km zone. They are beautifully marked.
I went to Dryandra, not only to see the birds, which I did enjoy, but more
particularly to see an ambition I have had since a boy - to see a Numbat .
and I saw one. What a work of art.
I had previously seen Mute Swans in Nth Tasmania, but I enjoyed seeing them
at Northam Weir. They were nesting, and not only swimming, but walking
around on the banks of the weir. On the road after Moora, I was able to see
the "wheatbelt form" of the Western Corella. They appeared to have a
different call and certainly different feeding habits to the southern form.
I enjoyed my time at Denham/Shark Bay, and though I was able to pick up the
nominate of the Thick-billed Grasswren species to add to the subspecies
modestus, I did not get to add any new species to my list until Carnarvon,
where I was able, by searching through the Mangroves and along the coast, to
add Ruff, Dusky Gerygone, Mangrove Grey Fantail, Yellow White-eye & Roseate
Tern to my list.
There were many other adventures as I went along and searched for the
various subspecies for which I was looking. I was very pleased to see here
and there the following subspecies or forms, which, to me, was just as
satisfying as seeing new species. They were, Purple Swamphen, Red-tailed
Cockatoo, Crested Pigeon, Galah, Ringneck, Splendid Fairy-wren, Rufous
Fieldwren, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Yellow-throated Miner, White-plumed
Honeyeater, Brown-headed Honeyeater, White-naped Honeyeater, White-cheeked
Honeyeater, Western Yellow Robin (yellow rump form), Gilbert's Whistler,
Magpie, Australian Raven, Silvereye, Striated Heron, Little Corella, Regent
Parrot Elegant Parrot, Sth Emu-wren, Weebill, Red Wattlebird, Hew Holland
Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Dusky Woodswallow, White-eared Honeyeater, Major
Mitchell Cockatoo, Peregrine Falcon, Dusky Woodswallow. (I realize that some
of the "experts" are not agreed on some of these being subspecies.)
Among the other birds seen along the way that I had previously seen, but was
glad to particularly see yet again, were, Square-tailed Kite, Terek
Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler, Great Knot, Red Knot, Long-toed Stint,
Bush-stone Curlew, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Fairy Tern,
Diamond Dove, Mulga Parrot, Rock Parrot, Red-backed Kingfisher, White-browed
Treecreeper, Rufous Treecreeper, Blue-breasted Fairy-wren, Sth Emu-wren, Shy
Heathwren, Redthroat, Slaty-backed Thornbill, Slender-billed Thornbill,
Purple-gaped Honeyeater, pied Honeyeater, Crimson & Orange Chats, Southern
Scrub-robin, Ground Cuckoo-shrike, Little Woodswallow, & Western Bowerbird.
I regretted not getting to see the Grey Honeyeater and Burke's parrot, for
which I searched, but having previously seen them, it was not too
disappointing. The one I most felt not seeing was the western subspecies
marginatum of the Chestnut-breasted Quail-thrush. He is commonly seen around
Mount Magnet and Cue, but after two days of searching I could not find him
and had to move on towards home. The country was very drought stressed.
Though physically tied by the trip, it was really very refreshing inwardly.
If I can be of assistance to anyone with further information, I would be
happy to share it.
Chris Coleborn
Birding-Aus is on the Web at
www.shc.melb.catholic.edu.au/home/birding/index.html
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